A guide to nightlife in the Dominican Republic
The Dominicans love their Latin music and, more than that, they adore dancing. This means there’s high-tech dance venues with DJs scattered around particularly in the capital city Santa Domingo. If you’re staying in one of the coastal towns such as Punta Cana, Bavario or La Romana on your holidays to the Dominican Republic, you’ll find many of the hotels have their own casinos, nightclubs and in-house entertainment. Or for something a bit more sedate, there are plenty of lounges and bars where you can kick back and enjoy a local cocktail or beer.
Dance the night away at La Bodega, Les Terranas
If you’ve ever watched Dirty Dancing you’ll remember the scenes where Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze practice the Merengue. This is one of the many Latin dances popular with locals, ex-pats and tourists who visit this disco near Samana, where live bands provide the soundtrack. If you’re a bit nervous about getting up for a jig, the hired dance instructors will take your hand and lead you onto the dancefloor – this is usually after 10pm. Other popular dances practised here include the salsa and bachata.
Feel special at Jet Set, Santa Domingo
If you want to feel like you’re living the jet-set lifestyle on your Dominican Republic holidays, this is the club to head to. Popular with locals and tourists, it’s a large venue that oozes glamour and style. It’s also another great venue to dance the night away to traditional Caribbean sounds. Monday is the night to head here if you’d like to listen to popular local and international bands.
A touch of luxury at Desires Music Lounge, Bayahibe
Based at the Dreams La Romana Resort & Spa is the elegant, adult-only Desires Music Lounge. It stays open until 2am for guests and visitors to enjoy. And right beside it is the hotel’s casino with blackjack, roulette and poker tables as well as the mandatory slot machines. You can have a flutter then retire to the lounge for a night of cocktail indulgence.
High-tech fun at nightclub ORO, Bavaro
Considered to be one of the best venues in the Dominican Republic, ORO is part of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. With 14,000 square feet of space spread across two floors, this is a club that seeks to emulate those in Las Vegas and Miami and boasts an out of this world nightclub experience. You can expect high-tech light shows and the latest sound systems pumping out music from the many well-known DJs who perform here.
Something a little different at the Voodoo Lounge, Caberete
One of the most unusual bars in the area, Voodoo Lounge attracts the more hippy type who likes to lounge around. It’s a very chilled out bar with indoor and outdoor space welcoming a mix of locals and ex-pats. They serve some a range of drinks, just don’t expect fancy cocktails. The boss is Italian and this is reflected in the food they serve such as bruschetta. It opens at 7pm but if you’re after some live music head down around 10pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.